Anyone who has an accident or illness that requires medical care should be able to expect quality medical treatment from an experienced professional. However, far too many times that is not the case. There are well over a million injuries due to medical errors every year in this country. And many of those injuries can end in death. Those medical malpractice cases often lead to civil proceedings where the victim or their family sue for damages. This is based on the legal concept that a caregiver has a duty to provide patients with quality care. In order to prove medical malpractice court cases, the plaintiff must file a certificate of merit in which a medical expert who is in the same field as the defendant must examine the details of the case and determine if the medical provider acted in a way that is appropriate for that case and for a medical professional in that field. They then sign the certificate of merit, confirming that that plaintiff's case has value.